Jamaica

JAMAICA

A. THE COUNTRY

Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean and is mostly
mountainous with only 17% arable land.  It is a parliamentary democracy
and remains a commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as Head of
State.  Tourism, remittances, the mining of bauxite and agriculture are
the main revenue sources.  High public debt servicing, frequent
hurricane damage and rising crime rates can be added to the normal
financial challenges of unemployment, inflation and foreign
competition.  

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~2,730,000, and the official language is English; 97%
speak Jamaican Creole.  Jamaicans have emigrated in large numbers (more
than 2 million) to North America, UK, and increasingly elsewhere.  80%
of Jamaicans with higher education live abroad. 
~96% are African Caribbean, ~3% Asian/Afro-Asian, ~1% Euro-American.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

~82.91% claim to be Christian, ~10.2% Ethnoreligionist, ~4.65%
Non-religious, ~0.9% Other, ~0.65% Hindu, ~0.3% Muslim, ~0.2% Baha’i,
~0.18% Chinese, ~0.01% Jewish.
In the Christian category:
~36.05% are Protestant, ~26.7% Unaffiliated, ~10.2% Independent, ~4.25%
Catholic, ~3.66% Anglican, ~0.1% Orthodox.
Evangelicals represent ~28% of the population
Charismatics represent ~20.7% and of those ~15.9% are Pentecostals.
As part of an anti-corruption drive, the government has invited greater
participation from churches.